Csound AlternativesMusic Production Apps like Csound

Csound is described as 'Sound design, music synthesd signal processing system, providing facilities for composition and performance over a wide range of platforms. It is not restricted to any style of music, having been used for many years in the creation of classical, pop, techno' and is a music production app in the audio & music category. There are more than 10 alternatives to Csound for a variety of platforms, including Mac, Windows, Linux, Web-based and Self-Hosted apps. The best Csound alternative is SuperCollider, which is both free and Open Source. Other great apps like Csound are Max/MSP, Pure Data, Sonic Pi and Cmajor.

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Csound alternatives are mainly Music Production Apps but may also be Programming Languages. Filter by these or use the filter bar below if you want a narrower list of alternatives or looking for a specific functionality of Csound.
Csound iconCsound
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Csound is a sound design, music synthesis and signal processing system, providing facilities for composition and performance over a wide range of platforms. It is not restricted to any style of music, having been used for...

More about Csound
Csound alternatives page was last updated Nov 8, 2024
  1. SuperCollider icon
     15 likes

    SuperCollider is a platform for audio synthesis and algorithmic composition, used by musicians, artists, and researchers working with sound. It consists of:

    33 SuperCollider alternatives

    License model

    • FreeOpen Source

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • BSD

    SuperCollider Features

    1.  Real-time processing
    SuperCollider iconCsound Icon

    SuperCollider VS Csound

    Is SuperCollider a good alternative to Csound?
     
    • SuperCollider is the most popular Windows, Mac & Linux alternative to Csound.

    • SuperCollider is the most popular Open Source & free alternative to Csound.

    • SuperCollider is Free and Open SourceCsound is also Free and Open Source
  2. Max/MSP icon
     21 likes

    Interactive visual programming environment for music, audio, and media

    In use for over twenty years by performers, composers, artists, scientists, teachers, and students, Max is the way to make your computer do things that reflect your individual ideas and dreams.

    Max gives yo.

    40 Max/MSP alternatives
    Max/MSP screenshot 1

    License model

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows

    Max/MSP Features

    1.  Visual Programming
    2.  Real-time processing
    Max/MSP iconCsound Icon

    Max/MSP VS Csound

    Is Max/MSP a good alternative to Csound?
     
    • Max/MSP is the most popular commercial alternative to Csound.

    • Max/MSP is Paid and ProprietaryCsound is Free and Open Source
  3. Pure Data icon
     39 likes

    Pd (aka Pure Data) is a real-time graphical programming environment for audio, video, and graphical processing. It is the third major branch of the family of patcher programming languages known as Max (Max/FTS, ISPW Max, Max/MSP, jMax, etc.

    43 Pure Data alternatives
    Pure Data screenshot 1

    License model

    • FreeOpen Source

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux

    Pure Data Features

    1.  Support for MIDI
    2.  Visual Programming
    Pure Data iconCsound Icon

    Pure Data VS Csound

    Is Pure Data a good alternative to Csound?
     
  4. Sonic Pi icon
     11 likes

    Soinc Pi is a live-coding audio software. Learn to code creatively by composing, improvising or performing in an incredible range of styles from classical through to algorave.

    16 Sonic Pi alternatives
    Sonic Pi screenshot 1

    License model

    • FreeOpen Source

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Raspberry Pi

    Sonic Pi Features

    1.  Music Sequencer
    2.  Synthesizer
    3.  Live coding
    Sonic Pi iconCsound Icon

    Sonic Pi VS Csound

    Is Sonic Pi a good alternative to Csound?
     
  5. Cmajor icon
     1 like

    The programming language for writing fast, portable audio software. C-family language designed specifically for writing DSP signal processing code.

    7 Cmajor alternatives

    License model

    • FreeOpen Source

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Windows
    • Mac
    • Linux
    Cmajor iconCsound Icon

    Cmajor VS Csound

    Is Cmajor a good alternative to Csound?
     
  6. Faust icon
     3 likes

    Faust (Functional Audio Stream) is a functional programming language for sound synthesis and audio processing with a strong focus on the design of synthesizers, musical instruments, audio effects, etc. Faust targets high-performance signal processing applications and audio...

    17 Faust alternatives
    Faust screenshot 1

    License model

    • FreeOpen Source

    Platforms

    • Online
    • Self-Hosted

    Faust Features

    1.  Live coding
    Faust iconCsound Icon

    Faust VS Csound

    Is Faust a good alternative to Csound?
     
    • Faust is the most popular Web-based & Self-Hosted alternative to Csound.

    • Faust is Free and Open SourceCsound is also Free and Open Source
  7. ChucK icon
     5 likes

    ChucK is a programming language for real-time sound synthesis and music creation. ChucK presents a unique time-based, concurrent programming model that's precise and expressive (we call this strongly-timed), dynamic control rates, and the ability to add and modify code...

    23 ChucK alternatives
    miniAudicle is a part of ChucK bundle - it's an IDE.

    License model

    • FreeOpen Source

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    ChucK iconCsound Icon

    ChucK VS Csound

    Is ChucK a good alternative to Csound?
     
  8. ORCA icon
     5 likes

    Orca is an Esoteric Programming Language and live-coding environment for musical experimentation. In Orca, each letter of the alphabet is an operation, lowercase letters operate on bang, uppercase letters operate each frame.

    36 ORCA alternatives
    ORCA screenshot 1

    License model

    • FreeOpen Source

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux

    ORCA Features

    1.  Synthesizer
    2.  Modular System
    3.  Real-time processing
    ORCA iconCsound Icon

    ORCA VS Csound

    Is ORCA a good alternative to Csound?
     
  9. Nyquist icon
     2 likes

    Nyquist is a language and IDE for sound synthesis and music composition. It is implemented in C and C++ and runs on Win32, OSX, and Linux. Nyquist combines a powerful functional programming style with efficient signal-processing primitives.

    23 Nyquist alternatives

    License model

    • FreeOpen Source

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux

    Nyquist Features

    1.  Real-time processing
    2.  Live coding
    Nyquist iconCsound Icon

    Nyquist VS Csound

    Is Nyquist a good alternative to Csound?
     
  10. PraxisLIVE icon
     2 likes

    PraxisLIVE is an open-source, visual programming environment. Experiment with and create projects using a visual patching system coupled with the power of programming in Java, Processing and GLSL.

    35 PraxisLIVE alternatives
    PraxisLIVE screenshot 1

    License model

    • FreeOpen Source

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux

    PraxisLIVE Features

    1.  Real-time processing
    2.  Modular System
    PraxisLIVE iconCsound Icon

    PraxisLIVE VS Csound

    Is PraxisLIVE a good alternative to Csound?
     
  11. Pyo icon
     3 likes

    Pyo is a Python module to help DSP script creation. Pyo contains classes for audio signal processing. With pyo, the user will be able to chain such classes directly in Python, and to manipulate them in real time through the interpreter.

    8 Pyo alternatives

    License model

    • FreeOpen Source

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    Pyo iconCsound Icon

    Pyo VS Csound

    Is Pyo a good alternative to Csound?
     
  12. Overtone icon
     2 likes

    Overtone is an open source audio environment designed to explore new musical ideas from synthesis and sampling to instrument building, live-coding and collaborative jamming. We combine the powerful SuperCollider audio engine, with Clojure, a state of-the-art lisp, to create an...

    32 Overtone alternatives

    License model

    • FreeOpen Source

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    Overtone iconCsound Icon

    Overtone VS Csound

    Is Overtone a good alternative to Csound?
     
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